Sentosa Monorail
The Sentosa Monorail (Chinese: 圣淘沙单轨列车) was a monorail system which served as the main means of transportation on the island of Sentosa in Singapore. The system was constructed at a cost of S$14 million by Von Roll of Switzerland, who also built the Singapore Cable Car. Commencing operations on 23 February 1982, the line had initially only five stations. In 1987, Ferry Terminal Monorail Station began operations when the Sentosa Ferry Terminal opened that year, likewise, in 1991, Underwater World Monorail Station commenced operations when Underwater World opened that year. It operated several 16-car, non-air conditioned trains in a unidirectional counter-clockwise single loop through seven stations located around the western half of the island. The monorail rides were initially charged at S$3 for adults and S$1.50 for children. The trip was later made free for passengers, who could ride the system as often as they wished throughout their stay on the island. Four of the stations have two platforms; for such stations, the Spanish solution was employed, where passengers alight at one platform and board at the opposite platform. Stations There are no terminal stations for Sentosa Monorail. * Station 1: Ferry Terminal – Opened in 1987; closed in 2005; demolished on March 2007 * Station 2: Underwater World – Opened in 1991; closed in 2005; demolished on July 2017 together with Underwater World * Station 3: Fort Siloso (first station to be closed down) – Opened in 1982; closed in 2005; subsequently repurposed * Station 4: Cable Car – Opened in 1982; closed in 2005; subsequently repurposed * Station 5: Central Beach / Palawan Beach – Opened in 1982; closed in 2005; subsequently repurposed * Station 6: SDC Office / Ficus – Opened in 1982; closed in 2005; subsequently repurposed * Station 7: Gateway / Causeway / Visitor Arrival Centre – Opened in 1982; closed and demolished in 2005 Closure Due to the rapid modernization of Sentosa island, maintenance problems, increasing costs, and declining popularity as visitors started complaining that the ride was slow and uncomfortable, the Sentosa Monorail ceased operations on 16 March 2005 to make way for the new four-station Sentosa Express monorail. Much of the track and all of the rolling stock were sold as scrap for S$350,000. Five of the monorail stations have been repurposed for other uses, such as the "Surrender Chamber" at Fort Siloso, a restaurant being developed at the Central Beach Monorail Station, and the SDC Office Monorail Station was rebuilt and now converted into a bar, although Gateway was demolished when the line closed and Ferry Terminal was demolished in March 2007. Fort Siloso station is closed earlier than the other 6 stations, due to the facilities needing the use of the station. Because of this, this station is never deserted. The station is now converted into the Surrender Chambers for the Fort Siloso. Cable Car Station is the fourth station along the discontinued Sentosa Monorail in Singapore. This station is located at the Tension Station for the Singapore Cable Car which connected Sentosa with the mainland. After the monorail ceased operations, the station was left abandoned for four years until 2009, when the station and the remaining track it possesses was converted into the Sentosa Nature Walk, where the station became a gallery at the start of the walk, and the track converted into an elevated walkway. Central Beach Station, or popularly known as Palawan Beach Station, (at one point the name was seen on the station's roof), is the fifth station along the discontinued Sentosa Monorail in Singapore. It was located near Palawan beach. When the monorail ceased operations in 2005,the station was reused as Sentosa's Nature Walk which the monorail station was used as a gallery in the beginning of the walk. The original monorail track structure which used to go up Mount Imbiah are now used as an elevated walkway. SDC Office Station (Sentosa Developing Centre Office Station), more popularly called "Ficus Station"( even the name was seen attached to the roof of the station), is the sixth station along the discontinued Sentosa Monorail in Singapore. This station is located near the Sentosa Development Office. After the monorail line closed in 2005, the station was left to the hands of nature and was forgotten for a while, before it was re-built and converted into a wine bar called Suburbia. Gateway Station is the last station along the discontinued Sentosa Monorail in Singapore. It is located near the Visitor Arrival Centre and Visitor Departure Centre, and also Fantasy Island, a former water theme park which closed down in 2002 after its safety reputation was ruined by several accidents. After the station closed in 2005, it was demolished. Resorts World Sentosa now occupies the site of the station. External links Category:Sentosa Monorail Category:Defunct railroads Category:Monorails in Singapore Category:Railway lines in Singapore Category:Southern Islands Category:Sentosa Category:Von Roll Holding people movers Category:Railway lines opened in 1982 Category:Railway lines closed in 2005 Category:1982 establishments in Singapore Category:2005 disestablishments in Singapore